Yellow Courgettes

[potterfanpete]

Hi all - about 2 weeks ago, I had my first female flower on my courgette plant. It was pollinated, and the courgette started to grow. However, as it grew, it got yellower, and yellower at the end where the flower was. Once it was about 1 long, I touched it to see if it was mushy, and it fell off in my hand. I now have a second one growing, and don't want the same to happen to it. I have a feeling the same thing happened last year. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong guys? Thanks - take care all

Pete

[rustylady]

Don't think it can have been properly pollinated. Either that or the weather has just been too bad. Don't give up, the early fruits do sometimes do this and when the plant really gets going and the weather improves you should get better results.

[Flummery]

I've lost a few fruits like this too. Make sure you remove them so they don't rot the rest of the plant. Later fruits set well and they are now coming out of my ears (but you're not getting a picture of THAT!)

[Alice]

I think it's the weather Potterfanpete. They like it warm and sunny. When the weather perks up so will the courgettes. If they don't drop thier spent flowers you can help them off. If you leave them they do rot at that end.

[zazen999]

Hi.
I had this last year, what i now do is if the first baby is not growing, cut it off anyway. And keep cutting any babies that don't grow. Also cut off any leaves that look mildewy. I find that the plant then puts all it's energies into making new courgettes, and it seems to speed it up. It can sit there for ages with the first few on but sometimes just needs a 'kick in the butt' to spur it on.

Not everyone agrees, and some of our neighbours just leave the first one to grow; but that's the way i do it. I find the first few are almost trials, they get better as the plant gets into the swing of things.

I cut all my first courgettes off on friday; they were about 1 inch long. by saturday evening, the second ones had grown to longer than the first ones had been the day before; so i cut those and cooked both lots [with peas]; and by tonight the third lot were longer again that the first lot were on friday. Yes, it has been sunnier, but it always seems to work for me.

Also, if ANY even look slightly manky; get rid of them; don't let it waste energy on non-perfect specimens.